


Solace

by TinderWulf



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-10
Updated: 2013-04-10
Packaged: 2017-12-08 03:08:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/756288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinderWulf/pseuds/TinderWulf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrus realizes he cares for John Shepard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solace

It was nearing the middle of the night cycle when Garrus finally closed down his console. He'd finally finished his first round of calibrating. For all the money Cerberus had poured into the new Normandy, they failed to hire someone with decent calibrating skills. Not that he was complaining, reading algorithms was sort of like meditating. Work and relaxation rolled into one.

Garrus stripped down and changed into his pajamas quickly. He could remove his armor in his sleep and he was sure there were a few times on the original Normandy that he had. Shepard worked them hard back then. Harder than any drill sergeant had in Garrus' basic training days. The only one that hadn't seemed effected by the rigorous training was Ashley. Even Wrex had begged for mercy at one point.

Laying down on his cot, Garrus picked up a book-pad and found his bookmark. The book wasn't interesting, just some sappy historical romance novel he'd borrowed from Kasumi so he could fall asleep easier after calibrating. After having a difficult time with the actual paper book, Kasumi had found the title in her book-pad and transferred it over to Garrus'. How humans could turn such thin pages without tearing them was a mystery to him. 

It only took several minutes of reading the thoughts of the virginal female before Garrus' eyes grew heavy with sleep. The swoosh of the door opening, a yelp, and what Garrus assumed was someone falling, jerked him wide awake. 

“Ow.” came the mumbled voice from the floor.

Not bothering to get up, Garrus laughed. “You okay, Shepard?”

“Tell Joker to stop doing barrel rolls.”

Ah. Shepard was drunk. Garrus watch with amusement as Shepard stumbled to his feet before walking, more like hobbling, over toward Garrus.

“Why do you keep moving? Stay still so I find you.” 

Garrus laughed while Shepard ran his hands over crates as he finally found the cot. When Shepard continued, Garrus froze, afraid to breathe as Shepard practically fell on top of him. 

“Uh, Shepard?”

“Tired.”

Was this some weird human thing? To crawl into the nearest occupied bed? But then the med bay beds had been _right there_ , so why did he come all the way from the med bay. Hell there even pods right outside the door.

“I ever tell you that I'm glad you got my six?”

Garrus shifted as Shepard slid under the blankets. “Yeah. Yeah you did, but Shepard what are you...”

“You're my beshtest friend, Garrush.”

Shepard's head rested on Garrus shoulder, trapping the turians arm.

“You're mine too, but what...”

“Did you know Kelly wanted to hug you and tell you everything would be alright?”

Shepard's leg was laying over Garrus' legs.

“No, no I didn't know.”

The humans arm lay heavy across Garrus' chest. 

“I told her,” Shepard yawned as he shouldered his way in between Garrus' arm and chest, making Garrus wrap his arm around Shepard's back so it didn't hang off of the cot. Then Shepard lay back down. “You leave the big hunk of turian alone. He don't like red heads.”

Not sure what he hell was happening, but accepting it anyway, Garrus locked his hands together to hold Shepard in place. 

“What makes you think I don't like red heads?”

“Dr. Michel hash a big crush on you too, but you always let her down gently.”

Ah yes, Doctor Michel. She was nice enough Garrus supposed. He just didn't feel anything toward the woman and he definitely didn't feel anything toward the overly happy yeoman. 

Garrus understood that some people woke up happy and stayed happy but he wasn't one of them. He found those people more than highly annoying. Garrus wasn't a morning person but he hated sleeping late. When planet-side he loved staying up late but hated sleeping in the light. It was strange, he knew.

“Doctor Michel was pretty I guess. I don't really know. The yeoman is too happy.”

“Too mush shunshine in your nesht?”

A chuckle left him, “Yeah, you could say that.”

“You shmell good.”

His mandibles flutter in slight embarrassment. “Um, thanks?”

There was several minutes of silence, Shepard's breathing starting to even out. That was when he heard it, so quiet he was sure he'd heard it wrong.

“Love you.”

Did that mean Shepard loved him or did Shepard think he was someone else? He was about to ask until he heard the soft snore. 

Spirits humans were confusing. 

When he woke some hours later, Shepard was gone. Garrus was surprised by the disappointed he felt and the emptiness of his small cot.

* * *

After a few days of confusion, Garrus decided that Shepard was avoiding him. This tells him that Shepard is either embarrassed to have stumbled drunkenly into Garrus' arms, or that Shepard really did care for him and was protecting himself. 

Either way, Garrus needed to know what was going on. 

Garrus joined the crew for meals but Shepard didn't appear. There had been no missions recently so Garrus couldn't corner Shepard in the shuttle. After three frustrating days, Garrus had enough. 

The want for an answer turned into need. Garrus _needed_ to know if Shepard cared for him. Deep down he needed the answer. It was fear of the answer that had kept Garrus from going to Shepard quarters these last few days. Realizing that, Garrus spurred into action. 

Walking into the mess hall with purpose, Garrus grabbed the bread, some weird white bread covering, the meat Shepard always used for his 'sandwitches', and some yellow floppy stuff called cheese. Garrus looked down at the food stuffs before doing what he'd seen the human biotic do dozens of times. 

Calling it a sandwitch was odd though. There was no sand involved and why would humans name it after a witch? Unless it was named after sand witches, then that was disturbing. Does this mean humans ate sand witches? Shaking the peculiar thoughts from his head, he slapped the meat and cheese on the covered bread then inspected his work.

It wasn't as neat as Shepard made them and there were a few holes in the bread where his talons had poked through, but it was basically the same. He placed the two sandwitches on the plate, added some crunchy red triangles and a banana. Garrus then cleaned up his mess and put everything away before grabbing a beer, a water, and the plate. Time to see why Shepard hadn't came by to visit him in nearly an earth week.

As the elevator door opened on the first deck, Garrus began to feel sick. Nerves jumbled, panicked kind of sick. After releasing a breath, Garrus touched the door pad with his knuckle as the beer bottle and water bottle tried to slip from his grasp.

When the door opened, Garrus lost his nerve. John, er, Shepard looked horrible. His face unshaven, dark circles around his eyes, and his shoulders slumped. 

“I brought you some food since you missed supper.” 

John's eyes lit up under his eye piece making Garrus' heart speed up at the sight. Garrus had bought John that eye piece a few weeks ago and Garrus knew from experience that it took time to calibrate it just right.

“Thanks, Garrus.”

The feelings rolling through him were intense. Too intense. His heart beat fast and hard while his breath seemed to shorten. He couldn't handle it.

“You're welcome. I'll be down in the main battery if you need me.” Then he fled. 

An hour later Garrus lay on his cot cursing himself. So he has feelings for Shepard. How had he not seen it before? How long? Why the spirits couldn't he just ask John if he'd meant what he said or if it was just some drunken fluke?

Maybe it was all in Garrus' mind. Maybe it had been the alcohol. Or maybe, Garrus had heard what he'd wanted to hear.

Garrus fell into a fitful sleep.

In the following days, it was Garrus that avoided Shepard. Calibrations were important after all.

* * *

Shepard had worked them all hard. Even Jacob had complained about the intensity of the work out that morning. 

Garrus did his best to keep his eyes from Shepard during the workout. It had been difficult when they paired off and Shepard had called 'dibs' on Garrus. Whatever 'dibs' meant.

Watching the man sweat and his muscles contract had made it hard not to gawk. When Shepard's skin glistened, it sparkled like turian plating in the Palaven sun. The muscles showing so easily under the skin was amazing and somewhat erotic to watch. But it was John's eyes that Garrus has successfully avoided completely. The one thing that could melt away at Garrus' new walls.

It was the longest and most exhausting workday of Garrus' life. 

He showered quickly before returning to the main battery and collapsing onto his cot. A week of sleeplessness and the morning workout made it easy for Garrus to fall asleep.

* * *

Cold. 

Garrus shuddered as his feet tried to close the draft that was making his feet cold. Not enough to pull him fully from his slumber, but enough to aggravate him.  
-  
Warmth.

There were even waves of warmth hitting his neck. He turned his and purred when he encountered resistance. The scent was familiar, safe. Still, he didn't wake completely.  
-

Pressure against his groin made his eyes snap open. He didn't move as he took in everything.

He lay on his side, his chest against John's back. John was sleeping, a soft snore coming from him, but he was unconsciously pushing his ass back against Garrus' erection. 

_Please, please, please don't be dreaming._

Garrus nipped the back of John's neck, making the human mumble in his sleep. Garrus slid his hand over John's tight muscle shirt, then over the shorts to the bulge. 

_Spirits. He's asleep and you're fondling him!_

But he couldn't stop. Garrus pressed his hips forward while his hand gripped John's hard shaft gently.

“Fuck.”

Garrus' heartbeat doubled at John's rough voice.

“Don't stop, Garrus.”

Pulling down John's shorts, Garrus grasped the now freed cock, reveling in the smooth heat of it as the man arched against Garrus, a moan leaving his soft human lips. Releasing John, Garrus quickly freed himself and pressed up against John's backside.

“Please, Garrus.”

Garrus growled as he spread John open and rubbed the tip of cock against John's entrance. Natural lubrication would allow for a smooth entrance. Not the best, but if Garrus was slow it would work. Lube and condoms were definitely going on the shopping list.

Resting his head on John's shoulder, Garrus pushed in slowly, then back out and back in as the moisture spread to allow him full access. Garrus squeezed the cheek he was grasping as a ridge finally entered, the pleasure making him want to thrust. 

Both men breathed harshly as Garrus was able to push more and more into John. Once Garrus was all the way in with no resistance in the thrust, he released John's ass and moved his hand over John's body.

Funny how he felt confident now that he was buried inside his best friend.

“Not that I'm complaining, John, but why are you in my bed?”, he rumbled into John's ear causing him to shiver.

“Damn it. Really? Now?”

Garrus nipped the mans shoulder teasingly, “Yeah, now.”

John turned his head to meet Garrus' eyes. “I missed you.”, he whispered. 

Garrus pulled out causing John to panic, his eyes wide in fear.

“Wait!”

“I want to see you when you come, John.” 

John's panic was quickly replaced with a blush as Garrus pushed him to his back. “There's a little bottle in my pocket...”

“The coconut oil you sometimes use to flavor your coffee?”

“Yeah, it can be used as lube too. It's safe for turians.” 

Garrus quickly moved to kneel in between John's legs as soon as he found the bottle. It smelled nice, almost like a dessert meat you could find in turian pastry shops. It will now always remind him of John. He let a few drops fall from the bottle onto his finger before he rubbed it on his still hardened length.

Once the lubricant was spread, Garrus wiped his hand off hastily on the shirt John handed him. 

Lining himself up, Garrus reentered slowly, this time gliding right in with no problems. John brought his legs up over Garrus' hips as Garrus leaned down to John's face. Garrus' hands caressed John from his knees to his finger tips as Garrus thrust gently into the writhing human. 

Garrus pushed himself up on one hand as he snapped his hips into John with a little more force. Three, still some what oiled, fingers wrapped around John's shaft and began stroking. John pushed his hands against the wall behind his head when Garrus' thrusts became harder and slower.

Spirits John was beautiful. His blue eyes shining, his body beginning to glisten, and the words that fell from his lips...

“I'm sorrry....missed you...harder please....won't avoid..you again...”

A jumble of words, promises, and apologies as Garrus stroked John. The man's testicles tightened visibly before John's back arched as his seed spilled on his abdomen.

Garrus released him when John slumped back against the cot, then he wrapped an arm around John's back to hold him in place as Garrus' hips continued. 

“Look at me, Garrus.”

His eyes snapped open to meet John's as John pulled Garrus' head down, pressing their foreheads together. A rumbled whine left Garrus as his release neared. Thrusting erratically, unable to keep from closing his eyes, he spilled himself inside John.

They lay there for several long minutes, until Garrus softened, his penis retreating back into its sheath.

Garrus, happy and giddy, asked “Does this mean we're boyfriends now?”

The turians mandibles widened in a smile when John chuckled and threw one of Garrus' phrases right back at him. 

“Yeah, definitely.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was purely an exercise to try and write M/M and to draw out a bit of angst. 
> 
> I love writing and reading light-hearted pieces that have happy endings. This was a huge challenge for me and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. 
> 
> Thanks for reading :) I do hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
